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Small Cabin Forum / Off Topic / Laptop HDMI USB Thumbdrive Movie Prob
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paulz
Member
# Posted: 6 Dec 2020 01:01pm
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Last night was supposed to be a Christmas party bonfire drive in movie at my place. Everything but the movie got cancelled due to the C19 spike.

Movie went well but had to run it, off a thumb drive, on a friends Apple laptop. For some reason the projector won't play off my Samsung Chromebook. Same cable, HDMI at the laptop and DVI video at the projector.

Last time I tried this and it didn't work I think I read it had something to do with the Chromebook being super HD and the projector not, but why does it work off the Apple? Might do another movie tonight since everything is still set up, if I can get it to work.

lburners
Member
# Posted: 6 Dec 2020 01:17pm
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Since HDMI is a 2 way signal occasionally it get weird with needing to recognize the device it plugs into. Look up HDCP for further info. One of the reasons Analog was sometimes easier to work with.
Another thought is to mess around with resolutions and sync rate (60hz). Sometimes older projectors need a lower resolution fed to them,

paulz
Member
# Posted: 6 Dec 2020 02:24pm - Edited by: paulz
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Thanks Ib. I just tried again, it will not play a short MP4 video stored on my chromebook, so I don't think the thumb drive is the issue. I looked up HDCP, Greek to me. In the troubleshooting section of the projector manual, it says to change the laptop setting, see below. I don't even have Fn keys. The movie we played last night off the Apple (Big Loboski) was a wide screen, the older ones I have been playing off a DVD player are more square, didn't have to change any settings either way.

Here is the projector manual online.

https://www.projectorcentral.com/pdf/projector_manual_4854.pdf
Screenshot_2020120.png
Screenshot_2020120.png


lburners
Member
# Posted: 6 Dec 2020 02:30pm
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Wait so is the Chromebook desktop appearing on the screen and it just wont play movies?

paulz
Member
# Posted: 6 Dec 2020 02:45pm
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No, screen is just the blank default projector screen.

paulz
Member
# Posted: 6 Dec 2020 02:57pm - Edited by: paulz
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Btw, my new screen, a sun shade thing 20x20, shows a perfect picture. Looks like I'm tanning a dinosaur hide. Got it on pulleys, up and down in minutes.
20201206_115301.jpg
20201206_115301.jpg


paulz
Member
# Posted: 6 Dec 2020 03:39pm
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I was just reading of others with the same issue and apparently it is the HDCP thing, and can be worked around with some cable juggling I may have back at the house.

I have a moldy oldy DVD, The Day The Earth Stood Still, I can show tonight.

Thanks again Iburners

zorro
Member
# Posted: 7 Dec 2020 03:38pm
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HDCP is an issue, but not sure why it would not play an mp4 file

Try downloading VLC - readily available and plays just about any format around


VLC: Official site - Free multimedia solutions for all OS ...

www.videolan.org



Try that to see if it works

paulz
Member
# Posted: 7 Dec 2020 05:44pm
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Will do. I'm back in the city, be a couple days.

Come to think of it, when my friend had his Apple plugged in it showed whatever was on the laptop screen. Shouldn't it show my Chromebook home screen? It just shows the Panasonic screen.

zorro
Member
# Posted: 7 Dec 2020 06:22pm
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Yep - if your laptop was plugged in then it should at least show your laptop screen - whatever is on that

If it was only showing the PJ screen, then your laptop was not communicating with the PJ for whatever reason

Again, just make sure the laptop is set up to show to an external screen - most should do that automatically, but just in case

settings/system/display..........but really depends on operating system and version

Should do it automatically when HDMI plugged in, but worth a check - but what you describe - the laptop WAS NOT outputting a signal to the PJ

paulz
Member
# Posted: 8 Dec 2020 09:19am - Edited by: paulz
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I agree. Here is the manual page on using HDMI on my Chromebook. No setting changes, but it does say 'on models that support HDMI'. I'm guessing since mine has the port, it's supported?

I'm going to try it on a TV and see if that works. Be a couple days.

Thanks Zorro
cb.JPG
cb.JPG


zorro
Member
# Posted: 8 Dec 2020 09:28am - Edited by: zorro
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More i think about this..............other point worth considering

Try a different HDMI cable, in case the cable you used was damaged or not the correct HDMI cables (there are different versions of cable available)

Pretty cheap on Amazon

But it could very easily be a cable issue

And clearly, make sure the drivers on the laptop are up to date

Let me know how you get on when you get a chance

jhp
Member
# Posted: 8 Dec 2020 03:21pm - Edited by: jhp
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Two things to try:

1. Make sure are telling the Chromebook to share the screen with the projector:

Show your Chromebook screen on your monitor
At the bottom right, select the time.
Select Settings .
In the "Device" section, select Displays.
Select Mirror Built-in Display. This option will appear when your monitor is connected.

If you try this and still don't see your Chromebook desktop being projected, try reducing the screen resolution on the Chromebook desktop to less than 1080 which is the maximum resolution the projector supports:

2.
Click the time, Wi-Fi, power and avatar icon box in the bottom corner. But not the notification count box.
Select the Settings icon.
Type Display in the search field.
Click Displays.
Drag the slider to the left or right. Moving it to the left decreases resolution, and dragging it to the right increases resolution.

I think what's happening is either you're not telling the Chromebook to use the projector as a second monitor, or if it detects the resolution as too high it doesn't ouput a signal. The Macbook may already be configured to autoshare to any detected device, and automagically reduce the resolution to the maximum that device supports.

Once you see your desktop on the projector, just fire up the movie and go to full screen...should be fine from there.

paulz
Member
# Posted: 8 Dec 2020 04:51pm
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Thanks jhp, heading back out tomorrow hopefully.

lburners
Member
# Posted: 8 Dec 2020 06:25pm
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Try setting the resolution to 1280x720.

paulz
Member
# Posted: 10 Dec 2020 03:27pm - Edited by: paulz
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Progress. I plugged the CB into the cabin TV, which has an HDMI port. A screen popped up to select which display and to mirror the CB. I checked that and it worked. So at least I know the CB is capable. I even played the movie off the thumb drive.

Another thing.. The image in the second photo is the wallpaper from the CB, I never noticed it before because it usually just has the Chrome screen. That image is also appearing on the projector, but I do not get the pop up window to select second screen or window. I can try changing the screen size but I am getting that wallpaper..
20201210_115945_resi.jpg
20201210_115945_resi.jpg
20201210_120213_resi.jpg
20201210_120213_resi.jpg


paulz
Member
# Posted: 11 Dec 2020 03:04pm - Edited by: paulz
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Success! I hooked up the projector in the shop this morning, I knew I had seen that CB home screen come up before..

Tried the HDMI to DVI cable again, the one that works with my friend's Apple. Nothing. When he used his Apple though, he had another cable that went from his C usb to my cable, that had a usb port in it that the thumbdrive movie plugged into.

Anyway I got nothing again. The I pulled out some of the other cables and adapters I had tried the other day (I got a box of cables and stuff with the FM transmitter I bought). There were a couple of HDMI to RGB (or is that VGA?) adapters. I plugged the first one to an HDMI cable, nothing. Tried the second one, the CB got the pop up screen to mirror the display! Hit that and boom, there it is. Even plugged in the thumb drive with the movie and that worked! Still don't know why that HDMI to DVI cable doesn't connect, no biggie now.

JHP, Iburners, Zorro, thanks for all the help!
20201211_100435_resi.jpg
20201211_100435_resi.jpg
20201211_100127_resi.jpg
20201211_100127_resi.jpg


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